What is your law firm's SEO agency doing on your behalf? Don't know? The answer could have serious consequences for your site's performance online, your professional reputation and even get you into trouble with your state bar.

1. Your Law Firm's SEO
Agency
What is your law firm's SEO agency really doing?
by: +Gyi Tsakalakis
from: AttorneySync
@gyitsakalakis

2. Comment Spam
What is it?
Comment spam is when SEOs leave comments on other blogs with optimized anchor text that links back to your site.
Why is it bad?
First, it has absolutely no value to search engines. Second, it's embarrassing. Real bloggers work hard to provide good
online content. Leaving spam comments is akin to giving them the middle finger.
How can I find out if my SEO agency is doing this?
Head over to http://www.opensiteexplorer.org. Look for backlinks to your site that appear on other blogs that contain
link text like [your city] [your practice area] lawyer.

3. Directory Spam
What is it?
Directory spam is basically adding your firm to
one of the millions of online directories. While
some reliable and relevant directories may have
some value, many law firm SEO agencies will
blindly submit your firm to thousands of
irrelevant web directories.
Why is it bad?
While not all directories are bad, this is really a
low-end SEO strategy. If your backlink profile
contains many spammy directory links, search
engines might interpret this as an effort to game
them. If that happens, you may subject your site to
a search engine penalty. More likely than not, the
links won't provide any value and will just be a
waste of your money.
How can I find out if my SEO agency is
doing this?
Again, head over to http://opensitexplorer.org
and see whether your backlink profile contains
links from spammy web directories. Alternatively,
ask your law firm SEO agency where they are
actively building links.

4. Article Spam
What is it?
Article spam can take many forms.
Typically, it involves publishing a high-
quantity of low-quality articles on article
directory websites that include anchor
text links back to your law firm website
or blog.
Why is it bad?
Similar to directory spam, article spam
may signal search engines that you're
trying to artificially inflate your
authority. These links are commonly
disregarded by search engines and may
also subject your site to a search engine
penalty.
How can I find out if my SEO
agency is doing this?
Check your backlinks. Do you have links
from spammy-looking article
directories? Are these articles of little
value? Are they duplicates from your site
or other sites?

5. Link Spam
What is it?
Link spam is more of a catch-all for a variety of different spammy
link building techniques. Link spam might take the form of a
network of interconnected resources pages or blog rolls.
Why is it bad?
As we've discussed in previous slides, building links in order to
artificially inflate your site's popularity in search engines is likely to
be, at best, a waste of time and money, and at worst, risky business
that could subject your site to a penalty.
How can I find out if my SEO agency is doing this?
Review your backlink profile. Talk to your SEO consultants. Are they
linking for the sake of linking? Are they linking several of their
clients' sites together? Are they engaged in manipulative link
schemes? If so, you may want to have another consultant review
their tactics.

6. Review Spam
What is it?
With this spam technique, your law firm SEO goes out and creates fake client and professional testimonials on a variety
of third-party sites.
Why is it bad?
This tactic is especially troublesome for lawyers. First and foremost, it's unethical. Which can get you into trouble with
your state bar. Second, it's particularly sleazy and will make you look bad amongst your peers. Finally, it's not very
effective. Many review sites are getting better about removing reviews that appear fraudulent.
How can I find out if my SEO agency is doing this?
Search for your online listings on sites like Google Places. If you see reviews from clients and other lawyers that you
don't recognize, you should discuss them with your SEO agents. Ask them whether they left these reviews.

7. What Should You Do?
● Comments - Find relevant sites and blogs that are discussing topics related to your practice. Leave thoughtful
comments using your real name that add value to the discussion of the subject matter. Where appropriate, add
helpful links to your content on other sites that expands upon or contradicts the author or other commenters.
● Directories - Claim, update and optimize profiles on relevant and authoritative legal directories. Be sure to
include accurate and consistent name, address and phone number information. Focus on directories that also
serve as publishing platforms. Don't waste your time on low-quality general directories. Look for highly-relevant
and local business and legal directories.
● Articles - Devote the majority of your online activity to developing engaging web content. Provide information
or answers on your subject matter. Create helpful tools on your site. Publish unique original content on other
sites. Consider serving as a guest blogger to attract new readers.
● Links - Focus on acquiring links from highly-authoritative legal websites. Think about how you can motivate
other webmasters to link to your pages. Avoid quid pro quo link exchanges and other forms of link schemes that
are designed purely to manipulate search engine results.
● Reviews - Provide excellent service to your clients. When appropriate, encourage them to sing your praises
online. Often times, happy clients just need to know about how they can tell people what an excellent job you did.
Make it easy for them by showing them different ways that they can review and rate your services online.

8. Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to review this
presentation.
You can read more about law firm internet
marketing at: http://www.attorneysync.com.
Should you have questions about anything
discussed here, please don't hesitate to contact
me by emal: gt@attorneysync.com